page_title: Stereotypes of African Americans
section_title: Mammy
hierarchical_section_title: Stereotypes of African Americans / Historical stereotypes / Mammy
caption_attribution_description: English: Ad for Aunt Jemima pancake flour, from the November 7, 1909 edition of the New-York tribune.
context_page_description: Generalizations and stereotypes of African Americans and their culture have evolved within American society dating back to the colonial years of settlement. In the 2010s, African-Americans continued to be depicted with negative racial stereotypes in news reports and in fiction such as films and TV shows, despite common belief that contemporary society has in many ways progressed past racist views. These stereotypes are diversified, widespread and of long-standing, and are the primary and the common focus of this article.
  Nineteenth-century Minstrel shows used white actors in blackface and costumes to lampoon and disparage blacks. Some 19th century stereotypes, such as sambo, are now considered to be racial slurs. The "Mandingo" and "Jezebel" stereotypes depict black men, and women, respectively, as sexually voracious. The Mammy archetype depicts a matronly black woman who is dedicated to her role working for a white family.
  In the 1980s and following decades, stereotypes of black men depict them as drug dealers, crack victims, the underclass, the homeless, and subway muggers. Jesse Jackson said media portray blacks as less intelligent than they are.
context_section_description: Early accounts of the Mammy archetype come from memoirs and diaries that emerged after the American Civil War describing African-American women household slaves who served as nannies giving maternal care to the white children of the family and receiving an unusual degree of trust and affection from their enslavers. The personal accounts idealized the role of the dominant female house slave: a woman completely dedicated to the white family, especially the children, and given complete charge of domestic management. She was a friend and advisor.
caption: Advertisement showing the commercial Aunt Jemima character with apron and kerchief, along with rag dolls, 1909
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